Instruction

Authentic Intellectual Work (AIW)
Configuration Map on Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment - AEA 267
Critical Issues in Instruction - NCREL
Differentiated Instruction - ASCD
Differentiating Instruction - "The Art of Differentiation" - ASCD
Educational Leadership, September, 2004 - Teaching for Meaning - ASCD This resource was recommended to all of the team at the February 1-2, 2007, meeting. The articles in this issue address the following: "To See Beyond the Lesson," "Knowledge Alive," "The Engaged Classroom," "You Can Teach for Meaning," "Facts or Critical Thinking Skills? What NAEP Results Say," "Snapshots of Meaning-Making Classrooms," "Reading and Rewriting History," "Ysing Technolgoy to Dig for Meaning," "Launching Self-Directed Learners," "Projects that Power Young Minds," "Inquiring Scientists Want to Know," "The Art of Changing the Brain," "A Time and a Place for Authentic Learning," and Landscapes for Learning."
Helping At-Risk Students Meet Standards - A Synthesis of Evidence-Based Classroom Practices - Office of Educational Research and Development and McREL
Inclusion - ASCD
Instructional Decision Making - Iowa Department of Education
Problem-Based Learning - ASCD
Understanding by Design - ASCD

According to Characteristics of Improved School Districts - Themes from Research (October, 2004), improved districts and schools pay close attention to classroom practice and provide guidance and oversight for improving teaching and learning. Districts emphasize principles of good instruction and communicate clear expectations on what to teach. Districts develop a common vision and understanding of quality teaching and learning. They monitor instruction, curriculum, and changes in instructional practice.

David and Shields (When Theory Hits Reality: Standards-Based Reform in Urban Districts, 2001) state that districts that "communicated ambitious expectations for instruction, supported by a strong professional development system, are able to make significant changes in classroom proactices . . . . [They] conclude that clear expectations for instruction are as critical as clear expectations for student learning" (p. iii).

In the Learning First Alliance study, districts "refined their overarching vision" and also "sought to develop a more specific vision for good instruction." In general, instructional visions were not a series of practices - for instance, cooperative learning or direct instruction - but rather a philosophy of practice. More specifically, district leaders sought to infuse a reflective and evidence-based approach to teaching practice. This meant that they expected teachers to actively engage students in rigorous content, assess the impact of of instructional methods, reflect on their practice, work with colleagues to research and share effective practice, and make appropriate adjustments to help students learn effectively" (Togneri & Anderson, Beyond Islands of Excellence: What Districts Can Do to Improve Instruction and Achievement in All Schools, 2003, p. 15). In addition, they write, "It is basic: Students learn what they are taught; students will learn more if they are taught well . . . (p. 49).

Questions for reflection:

What is the district-wide vision for "good" instruction?
How do teachers develop the knowledge and skills described by the vision?
How are principles of learning implemented in classrooms?
What guidance for instruction does the district provide to schools?

This page was last updated on February 8, 2007.